Fallen Angel
by twilight.equals.love
Summary: A tape recording left behind by Bella helps the Cullen's heal their broken family. Alice decides to check in on someone that was close to Bella and gets a shocking surprise. this is not a Bella x Edward or a Bella x Jacob or anything like that .
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Twilight but I do own the song that is written in this chapter so don't you dare steal it :P but seriously I'm not kidding. This is about a day that changes everything even more for Bella while Edward is away in New Moon. Enjoy. Read and Review 3**

It had been six months of nothing but feeling absolutely numb and dead to the world. It had been six months of brutal inner torment. Bella felt like if she ever stopped trying desperately to hold herself together that she would fall again- and keep falling into the utter darkness that had surrounded her for so long now. Every day that she continued like this she knew that she was breaking Charlie's heart just a little bit more but she couldn't help it. Going through the motions of life was hard enough as it is without having to be all bright and shiny every second of the day. Bella didn't look much different. She was a bit thinner, shadows were under her eyes and her brown hair had lost a touch of its lustre.

Bella had woken up with a feeling. She had that uncanny feeling that something bad was going to happen today. She couldn't explain the tingling go up her spine but she just seemed to know that something was wrong. She wasn't sure what it was or even when it would happen but she was certain that something was definitely going to make her life even more complicated.

Bella didn't even realize where she was going on that rainy afternoon. She had gotten up, changed into her clothes and started to drive. When she stopped she realized that she was at the Cullen's old house. Now it seemed cold and barren. The rain had started to pour harder as she walked up the gravel driveway to the front door of the house. She peered inside and could just make out the outlines of the furniture- covered in white sheets. She tried the door knob but it was unlocked. This didn't strike her as curious at the time. She opened it, letting it swing wide and stepped inside. She walked forward, her footsteps echoing through the house. She didn't even bother to shut the door for she felt like she was in a trance.

She walked to the room that had held the grand piano and pulled off the sheet covering it in one fluid motion. Sitting down on the bench she ran her fingers over the perfect porcelain keys and started to hum. She had learned to play the piano when she was a little girl- another one of Renee's attempts to get her interested in something. Of course Bella had never mentioned it to Edward because she knew it was just another thing that she was inadequate at. He probably would have wanted to hear her play and she certainly could never match up with his graceful, flowing performances. Bella had started playing again after Edward left. Charlie had bought an old second-hand piano from one of their neighbours trying to get Bella to snap out of her catatonic state. It had worked to some degree. Now at least she had music in her life to help her through this.

She pulled out a recorder from her faded, brown bag and set it on top of the piano. Turning it on she pressed play and let her fingers run over the keys. The melody she produced was soft and heart-breakingly sad. She took a deep breath and began to sing.

_He used to call me his angel_

_I used to float above the clouds_

_But now the rain's falling faster_

_All of my sorrows bearing down._

_But this is a Romeo and Juliet situation_

_Both sides of love have such inflation_

_Because of a twist in interpretation_

_My undying love's a sensation._

_Two star-crossed lovers torn apart_

_By desires that are off the charts_

_Two parts of one whole lie there broken_

_A shattered heart cracks some more._

_And now you see its coming again_

_Another wave dragging me under_

_It has a spider-web affect on the heart_

_My shield is cracking for a reason._

_Two sided lies make me wonder_

_That girl he once knew is gone_

_His little angel's sinking under_

_Oh yea with the last crack of thunder._

_And even though I'll always love you_

_I just want you to know_

_No matter what I want you happy_

_No matter how much it puts me through._

_Because all I ever wanted was you._

As the song ended and she finished playing the final notes she wiped a tear from her cheek and said into the recorder, "Edward, if you are listening to this then I guess you are back here in Forks again. It's probably been about eighty years or so right? So I guess I'm six feet under. I know that you did the right thing. I was never what you needed. I knew that I was never good enough for you and it was only a matter of time before you saw that too. There was nothing I could do to hold you here. So, I hope you found what you needed. If in the off chance that you listen to this sooner then I expect I would appreciate it if you let me now that everything is okay. Just leave a note or something. Tell Alice that she was the best sister a girl could ask for and that I am really sorry I didn't co-operate with her when she wanted to play Bella Barbie. Tell Emmett that he was the coolest big brother in the world and that he was always there for me. I want Carlisle to know I am thankful for him patching me up all the time and for accepting me into your family- no matter how short that time was. Esme was- no still is- my second mother. She is the kindest and most compassionate woman I have ever known and I love her very much. And lastly would you mind telling Rosalie that I understand why she acted the way she did. I am completely okay with it. If anything I am thankful she acted the way she did towards me- one less thing to lose right. I guess she was trying to warn me. Oh and Edward, I know you probably don't want to hear this right now but I do love you and I will never stop. But love is a funny thing. It means that even though I am hurting right now I know that you will move on, move forward with your existence and find someone that really makes you endlessly happy. I wish I could have been that for you but since I am obviously not I wish you all the best and hope you find her. Love always, Bella."

Tears had started to stream down her face as she shut off the tape recorder and popped out the tape. She took out a black marker and wrote clearly on the label "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb". She knew that Edward would realize what the tape was as soon as he saw it. She tapped the piano with her hand one last time before leaving the house and shutting the door behind her- never planning on returning here ever again.

As she drove through the town on her way back to town she saw a flash of silver drive past her in the opposite direction. She shook her head. It wasn't possible that he was here. There must have been about a hundred silver cars in the area so why did that one glimpse affect her so much? Bella parked her car outside of her house and went inside. She flicked on the light and saw something that made her heart stop cold. Charlie was lying on the ground, one hand clutching his chest, the other was reaching for the phone that lay a few feet away from him on the ground. His eyes were shut and Bella gasped as she knelt down beside him and checked to see if he was breathing. She could tell that he wasn't. His skin was so cold. She dropped her bag and pushed down on his chest as hard as she could- sobbing the whole time. Over and over again she tried to do compressions but she could tell it was already too late. Grabbing the phone and hitting speaker quickly she dialled 9-1-1 and waited for them to arrive still desperately trying to revive her father. Tears fell onto his face and when the ambulance arrived they tried everything.

Later that night Bella sat in the waiting room of the hospital. The doctor's needed her to sign a bunch of paper work and Bella, trying to hold it together, signed everything that needed to be signed. She was really alone now. She didn't want to move to Florida to stay with Renee and Phil. Her mother would know right away that the past few months had been far worse than Charlie had made them out to be as soon as she saw her and Phil was... well- Phil just wasn't Charlie. Bella was too engrossed in her paperwork to notice who the nurses were all chattering about at their station. Finally, she signed the last of the papers and left the hospital. A young male doctor stopped her on her way out.

"Miss, are you sure you are okay?" he asked concerned, "I don't think it is a good idea for you to be driving at a time like this. Is there someone I can call for you?"

Bella shook her head, "Thanks for your concern but I'm fine. Driving always clears my head. I seem to need to clear my head a lot these days."

The doctor nodded, "If you're sure. Just- be careful."

Bella nodded, "Thanks, I will."

Getting in her truck she started the gas and started to drive home. It was still raining and when Bella was about half-way home she started to cry again. Tears streamed down her face- obstructing her vision. She pulled over to the side of the road and rested her head against the wheel, letting her tears pool in her lap. This by far was one of the worst days of her entire life. She tried to get herself under control but she could feel her invisible stitches ripping out of her skin and letting her fall to pieces all over again. She knew that she needed to get home and call everyone to tell them what had happened but she could barely see through her watery eyes. As she sat there she saw a blinding flash of light come towards her and before she knew what was happening the screech of metal on metal filled her ears and the rusty smell of blood made her gag. Slipping into darkness she could have sworn she heard someone scream out her name.


	2. Devoted

**So, in all honesty I had no idea where this story was going to go when I first posted the introductory chapter. However, now I have FINALLY decided what is going to happen. Sorry for the long wait. I know this chapter is fairly short- but it is setting up the next few installments.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, Edward, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Esme, Carlisle, Bella and unfortunately not even Jasper : (****Chapter Two: Devoted**

* * *

**69 Years Later**

A small pixie like woman sat in front of a smooth, grey tombstone. Her pale fingers traced the letters on it in patterns. It read _"Isabella Marie Swan-Anderson. Caring Daughter. Devoted Mother. An Angel on Earth". _As the woman read this she wished she could cry. For once she prayed that a tear- just a single tear would slide down her cheek but of course none did. It had been almost sixty seven years since her best friend's death and the woman could not believe that it had all happened the way it did. She glanced over at the next tombstone that belonged to Charlie Swan and patted it gently. Picking up a perfectly smooth stone she put it on top of Bella's gravestone. It was her way of letting her know that she had been there. Maybe if she had stayed this wouldn't have happened. She could have prevented this had she still been in Forks. There was nothing she could do about that now.

Getting up gracefully she walked back to her car and drove away, dry sobbing the whole time. She sped down the road towards her old home. She hadn't been there since her family moved away from Forks. She got out of her car and went into the house. She could still picture Bella tripping down the stairs and Edward catching her while Emmett made fun of her and Esme scolded the boys for behaving rudely. It broke her heart that they had given up the life they had loved here- and given up Bella. It was the biggest mistake they had ever made in their existences and it was one that had torn their family apart. Rosalie and Emmett had moved away from the coven. Esme fell in and out of depression and Carlisle tried to keep himself busy with work. Jasper could barely stand to be around her half of the time because of all the emotions that she was exuding. Alice had for the first time in many years- since she had gotten out of the asylum really- felt utterly alone.

Jasper could barely stand to be in the same house as her anymore let alone touch her. She felt such a mix of guilt, hurt and unbearable sorrow that it was too much for him to go through his own emotions and hers as well. She hadn't seen him in quite some time now. He checked in with Carlisle and Esme every month and she talked to him frequently, but it wasn't the same as actually seeing the perfect contours of his chiselled face or feeling his smooth skin against hers, sending fireworks through her body.

The woman walked by a mirror and stared into it, examining her reflection. She wasn't the same Alice Cullen that had lived in Forks. She was the shell of that once bubbly, eccentric girl that had seemed like she was on a sugar high at all times. Staring at her reflection she shook her head and in one quick movement she punched the mirror, sending shards of broken glass flying everywhere.

As she went further into the house she saw something sitting on the piano. A lump, covered in dust seemed to be beckoning her forward. Blowing the dust off of the piano, it flew into the air almost creating fog around her. She looked at the tape recorder curiously and picked it up carefully. Silently hoping it would work she hit a button and waited as the grainy sound floated through the silent room. With every heartbreaking word, every gut-wrenching key stroke Alice choked back a sob. As she listened to Bella saying that she had been the best sister in the world she felt as if she were burning. The tape ending and the room was silent once again. In her head, Alice debated whether to try and get this to Edward somehow. Would it be cruel to send him this tape? Alice had no doubt that he knew exactly how much pain he had inflicted and being as masochistic as he always was- he was probably punishing himself in so many ways. Carlisle and Esme had made him promise to not go to Volterra as he had almost done on several occasions.

Alice tucked away the tape recorder, not sure if she would ever give it to Edward. She would talk to Jasper about it later. Thinking of Jasper she knew that it was time to try and make things right between them again. One pair of broken hearts was more than enough. Bella wouldn't have wanted the family to fall apart as it had. Alice knew deep down that it was time to intervene. No one would ever get any better if they were all alone. They would be stuck living a monotonous existence filled with pain. Resolving to call a family meeting and try and work some things out Alice left the old house and headed to the airport. She missed Jasper and she would be damned if she let the love of her life slip away.

As Alice got in her car and drove to the airport she couldn't help but question the one thing that had struck her at the graveyard. Bella's tombstone had been engraved with "devoted mother". Maybe Bella had moved on just as Edward had intended. If Bella could move on then so could her family. Alice found new conviction in the realization that Bella had had a child. Speeding down the highway, for once she couldn't wait to get home.


	3. Family Meetings

**DISCLAIMER: I didn't own Twilight last time and I still don't.**

Alice had called a family meeting. Carlisle and Esme had been surprised to hear from her, but had immediately made arrangements for Emmett and Rosalie to attend as well. Alice had already called Jasper and together they had decided that it was probably not wise to give Edward the tape recording. It would have probably been the straw to break the camel's back. If Edward had have heard how sure Bella was that he didn't love her he would have swam across the ocean if necessary to get to Italy. Alice couldn't help but feel a little excited at the prospect of helping Edward move on and maybe piece her family back together. At the very least she and Jasper could work things out now.

She was sitting on the plane, flying to a small town in England that Carlisle and Esme had been residing in for the past five years. It would be time for them to move again and Alice had gotten the notion into her head to try and convince everyone to move somewhere together. Her visions couldn't show her if it would work out since no one had decided to go along with it yet but she was sure that she could persuade them. Soon the plane landed and she saw a vision of Jasper picking her up at the airport. She smiled- they had not discussed this on the phone when they had last spoken but she had assumed that Jasper would be there to welcome her. Looking over to the bench that she had seen in her vision she realized that Jasper wasn't there yet. After getting her luggage she sat on the bench and waited. Glancing at her cell phone she checked for any missed calls. There were none. Sighing, Alice waited.

When Jasper finally appeared she smiled as he sat down next to her and kissed her sweetly. His eyes seemed to smoulder with curiosity. His easy smile filled her with happiness. Feeling her emotions he seemed to become more relaxed in her presence. It was a welcome change from the past few times they had seen each other. Seeing Jasper again, Alice couldn't help but repeat the words that had brought them together in the first place.

"You've kept me waiting a long time," Alice chimed.

Jasper's eyes filled with love as he replied in his light, southern drawl, "Sorry mam."

Jasper hugged her tightly, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Alice sighed.

"I'm sorry Alice. I should have been there for you. You were in a bad place and I couldn't deal with it. If I had just been stronger and tried to block out the emotions like Carlisle was trying to help me with then we wouldn't have... drifted," Jasper apologized.

Alice pulled back from his embrace and shook her head, "Now you're starting to sound like Edward. No one expects you to be superman. I don't expect that. I was putting you through a lot of pain. It wasn't your fault. And yet I can't apologize for my emotions. All I can apologize for is that we've been apart for so long. I want us to work. I want us to be 'us' again. I love you so much and I wish that we hadn't wasted the past few decades."

Jasper kissed her forehead, "I love you too."

Alice giggled and pulled Jasper up with her. She was starting to seem more like herself by the minute, "Let's go put our family back together."

Jasper grabbed Alice's bags and together they walked out into the parking lot, got into Jasper's car and drove to Carlisle and Esme's. They fell into an easy silence, just content with sitting in each others' presence. It had been too long since they had been able to do this. As they pulled up to the house Jasper turned off the car and grabbed Alice's bags.

"We can do this, right?" Alice asked Jasper for reassurance who nodded and pushed her gently forwards.

"We are a family," Jasper said, "And we always will be."

Alice took Jasper's free hand and walked up to the house. She paused at the front door, unsure if she should knock or not. She glanced at Jasper who urged her on. Opening the door she went inside. Esme was racing down the stairs towards them. She engulfed both Alice and Jasper in a bone crushing hug, sending Alice's bags falling to the ground. Alice kissed her mother's cheek as Esme held them both at an arm's length to examine them. Rosalie and Emmett had emerged from the living room as well. Rosalie hugged Jasper before making her way over to Alice and embracing her.

"You know I'm sorry about what happened right," she whispered, "I never meant for my comments to... I hope I didn't... We're still..."

Alice smiled at Rosalie, "We're sisters. Sisters have fights."

Rosalie hung her head, "Not fights that last for nearly seventy years. What I said to Edward about the whole... situation was inexcusable. He never would have taken off that first time if I hadn't had been such an arrogant bitch about everything. I never should have said anything and I shouldn't have said that... well about you and... I'm so sorry."

Alice nodded having already forgiven her sister for the harsh words they had shared so long ago, "All is forgiven. It's been far too long since we have acted like a family. We should make up for lost time."

Emmett came next and picked Alice up in a bear hug that if she had been human would have killed her, "How have you been Pixie?"

Alice laughed quietly, "I'm better now. How about things with you Winnie?"

Emmett's laughter boomed through the house, "How many times do I have to tell you that I am a grizzly bear not Winnie the Pooh?"

"At least a thousand more times," Alice said happily.

Alice turned to Esme who was still talking to Jasper, "Where's Carlisle?"

Esme replied, "He's ... trying to convince Edward to come home."

Everyone was silent for a moment until Rosalie broke the silence, "Why don't we all go sit in the living room. We have a lot of catching up to do."

It wasn't until five hours later that a car pulled up in the dark driveway. Esme got up and headed to the door, followed by everyone else. Carlisle came into the house first with a bag in hand and Esme looked at it curiously. Her eyes seemed to ask the question that everyone wanted to know. Carlisle nodded and within a few seconds their vampire hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming towards the house.

Edward walked through the door looking just as awful as he had the last time Alice had seen him. He looked like the living dead- which in a sense he was but now his features looked hard and uninviting- such a change from how he had looked before everything had happened. He looked like he did not want to be there and Alice knew that if she didn't have this meeting then he would probably never move on. Edward looked at Alice uncertainly. They had also exchanged harsh words before. He seemed unsure if he should hug Alice after he had made his rounds with the rest of the family. He stopped in front of her and Alice practically knocked him over with the force of her embrace. It was simple things like that embrace that make you a family because in that one tiny action the others seem to know exactly what you are thinking and painful messages can be conveyed without words. Of course Edward could just read her mind but that was besides the point.

After greeting Carlisle, Alice called the meeting, "Let's all sit down. It's time that we had a family meeting."

With everyone gathered in the living room Alice knew what she had to say. Jasper seemed only mildly uncomfortable with Edward's emotions as she began and pulled Alice even closer to him. Rosalie and Emmett were sitting together on the love seat with Carlisle in his armchair and Esme balancing on the chairs arm. Her hand was clasped between Carlisle's. Edward sat along in another chair. It was just another reminder that he was alone.

"Well," Alice started, "We have been apart for far too long. It's been almost seventy years since... everything happened. It's time that we be a family again. Nothing is ever going to get any better if we all abandon each other. Our existences will be miserable. We need to know that we all love one another again. We used to be so close. I want that for us."

Esme added, "I agree with Alice. We need to be together. I've missed all of my children far too much. I want you all to come back home."

Rosalie and Emmett glanced at each other before Rosalie nodded in agreement, "We're coming home."

Jasper smiled, "Alice and I are here to stay as well."

Carlisle turned to Edward, "Son?"

Edward was staring at the ground, "I know that you all want me to come home. I wish I could. It wouldn't be fair to you if I come home. I would be putting Jasper in a painful situation and I can't guarantee that I would even be good company."

"We love you Edward," Esme said, "You need your loved ones to help you when things get rough."

Emmett nodded, "Come on Eddie."

Edward didn't even scold Emmett for using his unwanted nickname, "I ... I don't know if I can be around so many couples."

Rosalie suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, "Edward, I know you don't want to hear this. I really don't even want to be the one to say this to you. It's time for you to move on. We don't even know if she is alive Edward. By now she will be an old woman with kids and grandkids and a loving husband. She probably moved on Edward."

"She's human. It was to be expected," Edward muttered.

"It sounds as if you didn't want her to move on," Rosalie said bluntly, "Which is absurd because that was precisely why you left her. You made a choice and hopefully she moved on and had a family and had a happy human life. Regardless, she wouldn't want you to be tearing yourself up like this. She loved you and you need to do her proud- even if she did move on."

Edward was silent. Rosalie was not usually the one to offer the words of wisdom but in this case it was probably what he needed to hear. Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe I'll check in on her," Edward muttered, "Just to make sure that she did move on. Then I would be fine."

Alice got up and put her hand on top of Edward's, "You don't need to go and check on her. She passed away a few years ago. I visited her grave. She was married. She had kids. She moved on and now it's time for you to do the same."

Edward looked up at Alice and nodded, "I'll stay."

Alice clapped her hands together, "Excellent. We'll start helping Esme and Carlisle pack. It's time for them to move again anyways and I think we need to start fresh."


	4. The Others

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, will not ever own Twilight. **

The entire family had packed up their belongings from various locations and met up in a small town called Crowley Heights in British Columbia. It was similar to Forks with its rainy weather and small town feel. Esme and Carlisle had had their eye on a house there for months now and Esme had been thrilled at having a new decorating project. The house was beautiful. It was a three-story, stone house with blue shutters and a big, old porch that wrapped right around the outside. The surrounding forest made it seem like the house was in its own little world. The garden was splendid with pink roses and ivy climbing up the sides of it.

Alice had already seen the room that she would pick and raced up the stairs with Jasper in tow to get there first. Rosalie and Emmett had taken the large room in the west wing of the house while Carlisle and Esme took the room on the opposite side, right next to Carlisle's new study. Edward walked up the two flights of stairs to the third floor loft that was to be his room. It had always been a habit for the family to leave the third floor to Edward. It was sometimes his means of escape from the rest of the family.

With a stroke of luck, Alice who had been enthralled with the fact that the family was together again had convinced the rest of her family to go to school again. She hadn't thought that Edward would agree to it but surprisingly he had jumped at the idea. Alice supposed that any distractions like school could help him. Tomorrow school would start and the family would try to fall into the pattern that had once become so easy for them. Carlisle had gotten a job at the local hospital and the house was starting to come together. Within a few days Esme would already be finished decorating it and be looking for her next project.

That night the family went hunting. Edward took off on his own, tearing through the brush with ease, not even noticing the brambles that were slightly ripping his pants. He was on the trail of a mountain lion. He hadn't had one in a long time. The animal life in South America had been quite different then mountain lions and grizzly bears. He stealthily stalked the cat, matching its pace and soon he attacked. As he drank the blood hungrily and disposed of the carcass, a new smell wafted his way. There were other vampires in the area. Finding the scent, he realized it was a few days old. The other vampires were probably just passing through. Leaving the forest he wondered who they were and if they would pose a threat to the Cullen clan.

Alice was excited the next morning. School was a needed distraction for everyone and if they were wanting to appear normal it was also a necessity. It seemed all too familiar as the family walked into the office to get their schedules. The secretary, a middle aged woman with short hair, was dazzled at the sight of them and Edward rolled his eyes at her typical practically incoherent thoughts. After comparing schedules Alice and Edward realized that they had only two classes together. Rosalie and Emmett were still comparing their schedules to Jaspers as the warning bell rang.

Alice chimed, "We'll all meet outside the cafeteria building before lunch okay?"

"See you soon," Jasper said as he kissed his wife's cheek before speeding off to his history class.

Edward and Alice headed off to homeroom and Emmett and Rosalie took off in the other direction. Finding a seat near the back of the classroom Edward soon realized that the girls at this school were going to be extremely intolerable. A giggling group walked past him and he cringed at their thoughts. Alice shot them a chilling look and the giggling stopped.

Suffering through his first classes of the day, Edward couldn't wait for lunch. He sorely needed a break from everyone. As he hurried to the doors of the cafeteria he saw that his family wasn't there yet. Sitting at one of the empty picnic tables he waited rather impatiently for the brood to arrive. He couldn't imagine what was taking them so long. He searched for their thoughts and realized that they were on their way over. They were all talking to a group of people. Edward's eyes widened as he realized there was a whole other group of vegetarian vampires at the school.

He heard someone approaching the cafeteria and his gaze snapped up to meet hers. Edward's face formed a mask of shock. She had mahogany hair that hung down her back and a small, heart shaped face. Her eyes were topaz but they held an overwhelming depth in them. He didn't even realize he had stood up. The only thought racing through his mind was that his Bella had come back to him. She looked exactly as he had imagined her to look as a vampire. He didn't even register the mild confusion and surprise in her eyes as he moved forward and pulled her into a kiss.

He poured out all of his angst into that kiss barely realizing that the girl he was holding had frozen in his arms and was not responding to him. He kissed her harder and something in the girl changed. She pushed against him, trying to free herself. He however had convinced himself that she was finally responding to him.

As he kissed her he barely comprehended the faint yell from across the quad, "Get the hell away from my wife!?"

Another vampire raced across the quad and smacked into Edward, forcing him down onto the ground. The girl was flung backwards and landed with a thud. Edward stared up into the face of his attacker. He was livid. If looks could kill Edward would be burning at the stake right now. Raising his fist he punched Edward with vampire force.

"Who the hell are you? Get away from my wife you crazy shmuck," the vampire snarled.

Raising his fist again, he was stopped by Emmett and another strange vampire that were trying to pry him off of Edward. When the two had finally been separated Edward saw the girl surrounded by her coven. Emmett was still restraining the vampire that had pushed Edward to the ground.

"Bella, what is going on? Who is he?" Edward asked, "Who are all these people?"

The girl's eyes widened in shock as she glanced around at Edward and his siblings, "Oh my.... You're the Cullens."


	5. The Condition

**DISCLAIMER: I do.... not own Twilight : (**

"You know them?" the angry vampire asked.

"Ugh, well not exactly. It's kind of a long story. Remember what I told you about my mom?" the girl asked.

"These are the... he's the one who..?" the vampire said, unable to finish his question.

The girl nodded, "Yes, he is."

Emmett looked around at the scene and broke the awkward silence, "So are you going to tell us how you know us or what?"

Alice sighed, "It's obvious who she is. The resemblance is uncanny. You're Bella's daughter."

The girl nodded, "Yes."

The Cullens were at a loss for words. They had come here to start over and now as soon as things were going well they had a reminder of Bella flung back at them. Bella's daughter looked nervous and her husband walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Both families seemed to be sizing the others up.

Alice continued, "So, what do you say we cut school today? I think that we have a very interesting story to hear. You can follow us back to our house. Esme and Carlisle will want to meet you. Carlisle doesn't start work until tomorrow."

Bella's daughter glanced at her husband who was still glaring daggers at Edward, "Okay. I guess we do have a lot to talk about."

Edward had said nothing during the whole exchange. He looked as if he had seen a ghost- that and he was mortified that he had thrown himself on the love of his life's daughter. Bella's daughter looked at his ashen and when Edward met her gaze it felt like he was staring into the eyes of his love.

Bella's daughter introduced her coven, "I'm Carlie and this is my husband Owen. That's Meredith, John and Gwen."

"I'm Alice and this is Rosalie, Emmett, my husband Jasper and that's Edward," Alice introduced.

Carlie nodded, "I kind of figured. My mom told me a lot about all of you. I've even seen pictures."

Edward's eyes snapped back up to hers, "Pictures? But I..."

"Hid them?" Carlie asked, "Under the floorboard in her room."

"She found them?" Edward asked, "So she found the letter I left?"

Carlie nodded, "And the CD and the plane tickets."

Alice interrupted as the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, "I think it's time we left."

Everyone followed Alice to the parking lot and sped away from the school. It wasn't long before they had reached the new Cullen house. Esme walked out onto the porch as their cars pulled up.

She called out, "You really couldn't get through one whole day of school?"

Emmett laughed, "Nope. Sorry mom but we have some guests and you'll never guess who one of them is."

Esme looked at Edward who had an odd look on his face, "Who?"

Emmett replied, "Apparently Bella had a kid."

Esme's eyes widened, "So you brought her here?"

Alice nodded, "Her car should be pulling into our driveway in 3...2...1..."

On cue Carlie's car pulled up behind the others with the rest of her family in tow. When everyone had gathered at the front porch Esme ushered them inside to the living room, calling Carlisle to come down stairs. When he came down the stairs he looked shocked to see Carlie- or as he probably thought, Bella.

"Hello, " Carlie said, standing up and shaking his hand, "You must be Carlisle."

"Yes," Carlisle responded, "May I ask who you are?"

"Carlie," she replied, "My mother was Isabella Swan."

Alice interrupted, "Let's get on with this story. I'm dying to know all the details."

Carlie looked surprised, "Can't you see what I am going to say? My mom said that you could see the future."

Alice smiled, "You haven't decided what "details" you are going to leave out of your story yet."

Carlie replied, "Well I guess I better just tell you everything then. My Grandpa Charlie died years before I was born from a heart attack. This was only a little while after all of you left so as you can imagine my mother was absolutely torn apart. On her way back to the house that night she got into a car accident. Her best friend at the time Jacob lived nearby and had been heading out when the accident happened. He stopped and he saved her. For the next few years Jacob helped my mom heal and they fell in love. There was only one problem though- Jacob was a werewolf and when my mom was twenty-three he imprinted on someone else. So she was alone again. She stayed in the house in Forks and eventually started working at Forks High school. That's where she met my dad. My dad, Richard Anderson, was a new teacher there as well and they fell in love. They got married when my mom was twenty-seven and I was born a year later. We were happy for a while. It wasn't until the year I turned sixteen that everything started to take a turn for the worst. I was madly in love with my boyfriend at the time, Owen, and I didn't know that he was a vampire yet. I stumbled across all the stuff that you left behind in my mom's old room when we were re-doing the floors and when I showed it to her she told me the truth. That's when I realized what Owen was. That was also the year that I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I had a year at best and when he found out Owen changed me. We got married when I turned twenty. That gave me enough time to get over the new born stage so I could have my mom at my wedding. I was still able to stay in contact with my mom because of course she knew what had happened. We never told my dad though. My mom died a few years ago."

"That's quite a story," Carlisle said.

``My mom loved all of you so much,`` Carlie said, ``I mean she even named me after you guys. My first name was a combination of Carlisle and Charlie because she always thought of you as her second dad and my middle name is Alice after her the best sister in the world. She used to tell me that all the time.``

``Why didn`t she ever come and find us? I mean you were changed and I`m sure that you needed help as a new born,`` Emmett asked.

``She had moved on. She had already gone through enough pain to last anyone a lifetime. She knew after reading the letter that you all loved her and that you had wanted the best for her. She needed to keep herself in the present. She was married, she had a daughter, and she had a life. She always figured that I would run into you all eventually so she told me to make sure I told everyone that she loved all of you no matter what had happened,`` Carlie explained, ``I`m not sure if you ever got it or not but she left a tape recording in your old house on top of the piano. I have an updated message for Edward though. I never read it but it`s at my house if he would like to read it.``

Edward glanced up at her, ``She left me something?``

Carlie nodded.

Edward got up, ``Can we go get it now?``

Carlie nodded, ``There is one condition though.``

Edward asked, ``What`s that?``

Carlie replied, ``You have to read it in your meadow.``


End file.
